Daily Doop: Break from the norm, Vote Wenger and Embiid is the man

With the bye week, the players get a few days off to rest and recharge as a Wednesday-Saturday home and home is next against Toronto FC beginning Sept. 3 at PPL Park (7:30 p.m., purchase tickets).

In office, staff is working overtime to get ready for the month of September as six matches mark the schedule including a pair of back-to-back weeks that feature games in close succession. Four of those are home, highlighted by the Sept. 16 match against Seattle in the U.S. Open Cup final. Speaking of the Open Cup, did you know there are five players on the Union payroll that have hoisted the trophy before? And of those five, four guys played each other at one point in time en route to either victory or defeat.

Union forward Andrew Wenger is up for Major League Soccer’s Goal of the Week for his first of two goals on the night. It was Wenger’s first brace of his MLS career, but we are kind of partial to his second goal, one that we took the time to show U.S. Open Cup foe Seattle Sounders FC earlier Monday morning:

It was a great night for the former No. 1 draft pick and following his performance, Union interim manager Jim Curtin had the following to say:

When he gets a head of steam going at a defender, he’s that combination of speed and power that you don’t see often. When he bangs it with an outside back, he doesn’t lose any speed. He’s strong as can be. He’s a special player who just needs confidence. And I think a night like tonight gives a guy confidence. He’s really learned how to play the position. It’s been a little unique out wide for him. But he’s starting to grasp his abilities and it’s leading to his goals…he checks every box. He’s big, he’s strong. He’s fast. He can smack the ball with his right and left foot as you saw tonight. He’s a guy with an incredibly high ceiling. I think you’re seeing the start of something.”

We certainly hope so…

Moving on…

Looks like at least two of the three amigos are doing their few days of rest right as it appears midfielders Amobi Okugo and Maurice Edu will be spending their time in under the Miami sun.